Restaurant owner to buy Bills tickets to avoid blackout

A suburban Buffalo restaurateur has promised to buy all remaining tickets for the Buffalo Bills’ home game Sunday against St. Louis in time to avoid a television blackout, team officials announced Wednesday.

Russell Salvatore, owner of Russell’s Steaks, Chops and More in Williamsville, pledged to buy all available tickets prior to the blackout deadline of noon Thursday, officials said.

“The impact and appreciation from the Buffalo fans last time I did this was amazing,” Salvatore said in a release posted on the Bills’ website. “This is my holiday gift to them, as they certainly have been more than supportive of me.”

The game will be televised by the Fox Broadcasting Co., including WUHF TV-31 31 in the Rochester market.